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WWW.SEAPOWERMAGAZINE.ORG 190 SEAPOWER / ALMANAC 2017
grant writing, legislative and public education, and electronic
communications. Workshops are available at no cost and can
be scheduled through headquarters at a mutually agreeable
time and place. All workshops and council guides are posted
on the Navy League website under the Navy League Online
Community, a members-only web portal.

The Navy League launched online and web-based training in 2014. Improving council performance in support of sea
services personnel has been the focus in 2016. Online modules
and council officer certification requirements are planned in
the future.

Major initiatives supported by Regional Activities in

2016 included National Board Member training delivered at
the National Convention in Charleston, formation of a Ship
Commissioning Committee and continuing the training available for legislative affairs. Regional Activities provided initial
training for a new council executive director and assistance to
councils considering hosting a ship commissioning. Lessons
learned will be incorporated into the deliberations of the new
Ship Commissioning Committee.

Regional Activities also continues to focus on mission-critical activities, including the Navy’s STEM program, support for the Navy League’s America’s Strength campaign and
Grass Roots Legislative Initiative, and updating Navy League
presentations for use by councils in the community.

Ongoing support of routine operations includes ship adoptions, ship commissioning ceremonies, new council formation,
major event planning, Navy League presentations to community groups and promoting community involvement and
partnerships.

Youth Programs

The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) is the umbrella
organization of its senior program, the Naval Sea Cadet Corps
(NSCC), and its junior program, the Navy League Cadet Corps
(NLCC). As the Navy League’s sponsored youth program, the
USNSCC continued to maintain stable enrollment during 2016

with 13,573 members in 396 NSCC and 83 NLCC units in the
United States, including the territories of Puerto Rico and
Guam. Membership is open to young men and women ages
10 through 13 for the NLCC, and 13 through the completion of
high school for the NSCC.

In 2016, cadets and volunteers were welcomed at U.S. Navy
and Coast Guard commands across the country. The hands-on
training provided by the active and Reserve components of the
armed forces is invaluable to cadets as they consider the opportunities available to them after they graduate high school.

Sea Cadets incur no obligation to join the armed forces
after high school, but units report that a large proportion of
their graduating cadets do pursue enlistment or commissioning programs. In 2016, a large number of cadets received
appointments to one of the military service academies or
received Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships. This year, 109 former Sea Cadets became part of the
class of 2020 at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Eighty-nine professional development classes provided
training for 1, 136 adults. Sixty-four Sea Cadets were accepted
to — and participated in — summer training programs at the
nation’s service academies.

The International Exchange Program supported 24 cadets
and seven adult escorts in Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Hong
Kong, India, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In return, USNSCC
hosted 36 international cadets and adults in Newport, R.I.

With the recently established partnership with Tall Ships
of America, Sea Cadets participated in two summer trainings
aboard Appledore and Bill of Rights.

STEM initiatives continued with more than 20 cadets participating in the Naval Academy’s STEM summer program.

THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

The President’s Circle is an elite group of individuals who help the Navy League maintain its worldwide its mission by advocating for sea service members
and their families. President’s Circle members lead by example, advocating on behalf of the sea services and educating about the importance of strong
maritime forces to the security and economic prosperity of the nation. Donations support sea service personnel and their families as well as youth programs that foster future leaders. The Navy League offers several distinguished levels of annual President’s Circle Membership.